The Night Of Dragon (a-drag.it)

Overall Impression (8/10)

This was the very first Tracker piece I ever listened to. Previously I had spent some time dabbling with SID tunes. While I admired the artistic creativity of the composers, sadly the Dynamo of 1982 (Commodore 64) finally cracked at the seams. Night of the Dragon introduced me to the immense quality upgrade available from the more modern Tracker era.

Technique, Arrangement, Composition (7/10)

Having only SID tunes to compare with, the opening measures left me stunned with appreciation. Here was a body of music I could listen to honestly instead of in a special "nostalgia" mindset.

The technique seems smooth enough, though the percussion line follows the "avoid risk" path. After learning more about the Tracker genre, I now hear a slight repetition in the second half of the piece where the composer seems to miss the chance for a final musical idea to weave in.

Development (7/10)

The overall development is logical, which is what earns the high replayability rating. This is a great choice of lead synth backed by a rather standard but serviceable baseline. A couple of the middle octaves are neglected a bit though.

Creativity (8/10)

The overall creativity of concept is what created my strong introductory impression into the world of Tracking. The use of the top octaves successfully creates an ethereal sense which is great as a background mood piece.

Enjoyment (8/10)

This is a fine example of setting forth modest objectives to stay within the composer's scope to deliver them. It avoids harsh experimental breaks as well as staying clear of any serious production flaws. Three years later I am still able to play it a few times while working.